Family of missing Indian-American student issues appeal

The anxious family of 22-year-old Indian-American student Sunil Tripathi, who went missing on March 16, has issued a passionate plea for him to return home.

"Sunil please come home, we all love you we miss you very much," Akhil Tripathi, father of Sunil told PTI, hoping his youngest of the three children would listen his message and come back home.

Security agencies, including the local police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, have been making frantic effort to find Sunil, but have not been able to get any ‘solid lead’ so far, said Tripathi.

An undergraduate student from the BrownUniversity, Sunil went missing on March 16. He left his cell phone, ID and wallet in his room, where he was last seen by his room-mate at 11 am on March 16.

"We are all questioning that. I wish we knew. It has never happened. His cell phone, his ID card, his wallet everything was in his room," the father said.

Born and brought up in Kanpur, Sunil lives in Pennsylvania where he runs a software company. Ever since his son went missing, Tripathi has been living at a temporary accommodation provided by the BrownUniversity along with his family.

"No real news. They (investigating agencies) are following up every lead and info they get. There is no solid positive lead yet," he said. He had last spoken to Sunil on March 12, while in March 15 night, a day before he went missing he spoke with his grandmother.

The police and the FBI which has been investigating the case, he said, have not found any real clue or lead so far. "They do not suspect there is a foul play, but nothing is being ruled out," Tripathi said.

Meanwhile, support for Sunil has been growing among the public. While scores of his friends are personally involved in his search operation, the Facebook page 'Help us find Sunil Tripathi' has attracted more than 1.1 million views in last six days.

The police are receiving an increasing number of tips on Sunil's possible whereabouts, including calls from across New England and as far away as Illinois. The businesses in Providence has been volunteering support by reviewing their surveillance videos to find any footage of Sunil.